Flexible cover for cylinder or roll top desks



(No Model.)

F. JOSEPH & J." HEIN. FLEXIBLE COVER FOR CYLINDER 0R ROLL TOP DBSKS.

No. 425,432. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

UNITED STATES FFICEQ PATENT FRANK JOSEPH AND JOHN I-IEIN, OF JASPER, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,432, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed September 11, 1889. Serial No. 323,620. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK JOSEPH and JOHN HEIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Jasper, in the county of Dubois and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Flexible Cover for Cylinder or Roll Top Desks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to flexible covers for cylinder or roll top desks, and among the objects in view are to provide a flexible cover which shall present practically an unbroken outer surface, thereby preventing a catching and retention of dust, and which shall yet possess all of the advantages of flexibility and neatness inherent in the usual ribbed cover.

YVith these general objects in view the invention consists in a cover having a base of fabric, as is usual, upon its under surface a series of stiffening independent beveled ribs, and upon its upper surface a series of corresponding closely-connected veneer strips or ribs, the ribs of both sides being preferably glued to the fabric base.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a desk provided with a cover constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical view enlarged and in detail. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the veneer strips. Fig. l is a detail enlarged view showing more clearly the mode of connection'between the veneer strips and the fabric.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents the side of the desk, 2 the crown-piece, and 3 the coveigmounted in the side and made flexible to conform to the contour thereof, as is usual.

In constructing our cover we take a flexible base 4 of suitable fabric, and to the under side of the same, by glue or other suitable cement, we secure the series of stiffening-strips 6. The upper faces of these strips are preferably slightly rounded transversely to conform to the general curvature of the roll top 3 when in its normal position, and their edges adj acent the next strips are beveled off to their lower faces in order that the roll top may be bent sharply downward, as is necessary at one point in the desk, all as will be clearly understood. The upper surface of the fabric is then provided with a series of veneer strips '7, secured by a layer of glue or cement each exactly over and registering with one of the stiffening-strips 6. The strips 7 may be of any suitable veneer, but are exceedingly thin, and their side edges located snugly against each other, so as to present as nearly as possible an unbroken surface-i. a, a surface with no cracks or grooves, because these edges abut s0 snugly. It will thus be seen that the veneer strips must be fully as wide as, if not a trifle wider than, the upper broader faces of the stiffening-strips (i; but the veneer strips have '6 5 practically no thickness.

I Ieretofore in covers of this class a very objectionable feature to the same has been that, by reason of the employment of the convex ribs upon the upper face of the fabric base and the necessity of a slight separation of the rounded sides of the same, quantities of dust collect in the crevices intermediate the ribs, and by reason of the fabric nature of the base such collections of dust were retained and it was almost impossible to remove the same, and the consequence was that the generally neat appearing roll-top cover soon became streaked with dust and disfigured.

By the employment of the exceedinglythin and narrow veneers the surface of the cover when bent, as is necessary in its manipulation, remains practically unbroken, which would not be the case if the veneer strips possessed any material degree of thickness or had other 8 5 than flat abutting edges, and it is impossible for dust to enter between the veneer strips because their edges abut so closely. This im proved roll-top cover,by reason of its unbroken outer surface, is also much ncater in appearance than the ordinary flexible covers heretofore employed.

Having described our invention, what We claim is 1. A roll top deslcc'over comprising a flexi- 9 5 ble base, lateral thick stiffeningstrips upon the lower face thereof, the sides of said strips being beveled from their upper to their lower edges,-for the purpose set forth, and strips of veneer upon the upper face thereof register- 10o ing with said stiffening-strips and being so thin that practically no crack is formed be= tween them when the top is bent, the adjacent edges of said veneer strips abutting closely in the normal position of the top, substan tially as described.

2. A roll-top desk-cover comprising a flexible base,- lateral thick stiffening-strips upon the lower faces thereof, the sides of said strips being beveled from their upper to their lower edges, for the purpose set forth, and strips of veneer upon the upper face thereof registering with said stiffening-strips and being so thin that practically nee-rack is formed be-- tween them when the top is bent, the adjacent edges of said veneer strips being at right FRANK JOSEPH. JOHN HEIN.

WVitnesses:

TOLIVER VVERTZ, WILL' A. TRAYLOR. 

